The present invention relates to a log splitter attachment for a loader and a method of use of the attachment for splitting logs with a loader.
The use of a log splitter supported on a loader is known for portability and for the convenience of using the existing hydraulic systems of the loader. Typically these log splitters are intended to act independently of the loader and require manually loading the logs onto the splitter. This can be considerably labour intensive when numerous logs are to be split as some logs can be heavy for an operator to lift onto the splitter. Examples of splitters which require manual loading include U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,385 to Lapointe, U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,942 to Malik, U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,532 to Region, U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,402 to Wirsbinski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,231 to Dillon and U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,580 to Patten.
Some other splitters can be mounted to the hitch of a tractor or the like, but are limited in their ability to be manoeuvred as tractors typically do not have readily moveable lift arms. Examples of hitch mounted type splitters include U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,899 to Myers, Jr., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,712 to Johnson.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,367 to Crowley, Jr. provides a log splitter which includes a complex linkage for specifically mounting the splitter on a backhoe arm using existing hydraulics of the backhoe arm. Use of the splitter on the backhoe arm is awkward however due to obstruction of an operator""s view of the splitter by the backhoe itself upon which the splitter is supported. The splitter is further limited in its manoeuvrability due to the fixed orientation of the splitter relative to the backhoe arm.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a log splitter attachment for a loader including a pair of lift arms for supporting a bucket thereon, the attachment comprising:
a frame for securement to the lift arms of the loader, the frame including mounting means for mounting the frame in place of the bucket on the lift arms;
a blade supported on the frame for splitting a log thereon;
a log pusher supported on the frame and being movable relative to the blade; and
an actuator acting between the blade and the log pusher for displacing the log pusher relative to the blade between a loading position spaced from the blade and a splitting position in which the log pusher is nearer to the blade than the loading position for urging a log into the blade.
The arrangement of the frame to mount on the lift arms of the loader in place of the bucket of the loader enables the blade and log pusher to be readily manoeuvred overtop a log on the ground to split the log therebetween using the lift arm and bucket controls of the loader. Supporting the attachment on the lift arms of a loader provides greater visibility of the splitter to an operator of the loader for controlling operation of the log splitter more readily as compared to a backhoe attachment. Positioning the splitter in place of the bucket of the loader further enables existing hydraulic controls, for controlling tilt of the bucket relative to the lift arms, to be used for manoeuvring the splitter onto a log to be split by an operator of the loader.
The mounting means may comprise a mounting member which is arranged to mount between respective free ends of the lift arms of the loader.
The actuator preferably comprises a hydraulic piston cylinder for connection to a hydraulic system of the loader.
When provided in combination with a skid steer loader in which lift arms are pivotally supported on opposing sides of an operator compartment, the frame of the log splitter attachment is preferably mounted on respective free ends of the lift arms.
The mounting means may comprise a plate member mounted in place of a bucket of the skid steer loader.
When the plate is arranged for securement across respective-free ends, of the lift arms, a beam preferably extends outwardly from the plate, transversely thereto, for supporting the blade and the log pusher thereon, spaced outwardly from the plate.
The beam preferably extends outwardly from the plate at an upward inclination when the plate is in an upright orientation.
The mounting means may be arranged to support the frame on the lift arms of the loader for relative pivotal movement therebetween.
The beam preferably supports the blade and the log pusher on one side thereof such that access to a working area between the blade and the log pusher is unrestricted from below and from only one of two sides of the working area extending between the blade and the log pusher due to the beam extending across the other side of the working area. The working area between the blade and the log pusher in this arrangement is open along a top and along a bottom thereof.
Preferably, the beam slidably supports a collar of mating cross section there along so that the beam supports one of the blade and the log pusher thereon while the collar supports the other of the blade and the log pusher thereon.
The log pusher is preferably supported on the collar for sliding movement relative to the blade which is fixedly supported on the beam.
The frame may include a plurality brace members mounted between the mounting means and the beam of the frame.
The log pusher preferably comprises a plate member having a textured gripping surface facing the blade.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of splitting logs on a loader including a pair of lift arms for supporting a bucket thereon, the method comprising:
providing a log splitter attachment comprising a frame supporting a blade and a log pusher thereon for sliding movement relative to one another and an actuator acting between the blade and the log pusher;
mounting the frame on respective free ends of the lift arms of the loader in place of the bucket of the loader;
placing a log between the blade and the log pusher; and
urging the log pusher towards the blade to split the log over the blade by use of the actuator acting between the blade and the log pusher.
When the frame includes a beam supporting the blade and the log pusher for movement relative to one another along one side of the beam, the method preferably includes placing the log between the blade and the log pusher by sweeping the beam across the ground into engagement with a log supported on the ground.
When the frame includes a beam supporting the blade and the log pusher to extend laterally outward from one side thereof, the method preferably also includes orienting the beam parallel to the ground such that a working area between the blade and the log pusher is accessible through a top, a bottom and only one of two sides thereof.